Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rajshahi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rajshahi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $306 in Rajshahi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $498 in Rajshahi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $690 in Rajshahi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 313% more expensive than in Rajshahi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Rajshahi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$0.80 ৳98.4

460.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$8.81 ৳1,089

417.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$2.79 ৳344

213.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 ৳509

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ৳289

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.46 ৳181

103.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.32 ৳39.31

115.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.19 ৳23.44

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.70 ৳86.1

207.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.69 ৳85.4

163.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.62 ৳76.3

251.61%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.11 ৳137

102.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$6.64 ৳820

201.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.44 ৳425

5.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$6.66 ৳824

103.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.22 ৳274

45.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.12 ৳139

46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.31 ৳285

0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.79 ৳97.4

162.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.46 ৳56.9

236.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.55 ৳68.6

165.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.35 ৳43.54

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.28 ৳34.14

71.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.13 ৳1,499

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ৳197

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ৳255

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.95 ৳365

47.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.10 ৳12.03

1320.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$10.37 ৳1,281

11.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.24 ৳154

155.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.39 ৳48.62

164.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$0.86 ৳106

1515.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.90 ৳112

48.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$29.2K ৳3.6M

-4.73%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$28.1K ৳3.5M

18.88%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$123 ฿4,105

$30.57 ৳3,778

302.52%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.77 ฿459

$4.81 ৳595

186.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$12.89 ৳1,593

42.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$5.44 ৳672

1015.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$11.81 ৳1,460

45.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.16 ৳514

113.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$688 ฿22.9K

$20.36 ৳2,516

3278.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$674 ৳83.3K

2242.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$13.00 ৳1,606

356.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$14.88 ৳1,839

133.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$26.16 ৳3,233

340.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$29.45 ৳3,639

184.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$66.5 ৳8,218

834.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$39.00 ৳4,820

1043.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$136 ৳16.8K

1395.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$85.7 ৳10.6K

1646.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$495 ৳61.2K

598.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$2,322 ৳287.0K

9.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$213 ৳26.3K

131.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.83

-39.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rajshahi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $66.5 in Rajshahi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 132% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Rajshahi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $116 per month, with Rajshahi cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Rajshahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rajshahi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 313% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 132% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $66.5 in Rajshahi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $20.36 in Rajshahi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $306 in Rajshahi versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rajshahi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rajshahi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rajshahi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Rajshahi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rajshahi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 313% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.